A Taliban ban on smartphones for civil servants has raised fresh concerns over access to information in Afghanistan, with rights groups warning it could further isolate government employees and tighten the authorities' control over public life.
According to a military court order seen by Reuters, the ban came into force on 16 June and applies to "all officials of the military and civilian institutions, including judges".
Anyone found using a smartphone risks having the device confiscated and destroyed, while further punishment could follow under Afghan law.
The Taliban administration has not commented publicly on the order. For many government employees, however, the impact has been immediate.
One civil servant said much of the public sector had relied on smartphones for day-to-day work.
"The impact has been so significant that many administrative processes have effectively come to a halt, because most official work was previously carried out through mobile phones, WhatsApp, and email," the employee said.
Authorities in Panjshir province have already confirmed that the ban is being enforced across government offices.
Rights groups say the move is about more than workplace rules.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have steadily tightened restrictions on daily life. Women and girls have faced some of the harshest measures, including bans on secondary and university education and restrictions on employment.
Journalists, activists and civil society groups have also reported growing censorship and intimidation.
Against that backdrop, campaigners say smartphones have become one of the few remaining ways for Afghans to access independent information, communicate privately and document alleged abuses.
"Today, a smartphone is no longer just a source of entertainment," said Sanam Kabiri, an Afghan women's rights activist based in Australia.
"When its use is prohibited in government offices, it raises concerns that the objective may extend beyond maintaining administrative order to also restricting access to information and communication."
growing concerns over information controls
Critics say the latest order fits a broader pattern of restrictions imposed since the Taliban returned to power.
While the Taliban have previously presented technology restrictions as administrative or security measures, campaigners argue the smartphone ban reflects a wider effort to limit access to information and strengthen state control over public life.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, ...
Iran has rejected as “irrelevant” a UN nuclear watchdog resolution referring its nuclear file to the UN Security Council, arguing that ...
Georgia’s busiest sea gateway has reached its capacity limit, adding urgency to plans for a major expansion of Poti port as the country seeks...
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iran has rejected as “irrelevant” a UN nuclear watchdog resolution referring its nuclear file to the UN Security Council, arguing that U.S. and Israeli strikes on sites under verification were the main reason inspections were halted.
Georgia’s busiest sea gateway has reached its capacity limit, adding urgency to plans for a major expansion of Poti port as the country seeks to strengthen its role in the Middle Corridor trade route between Asia and Europe.
Saudi Arabia’s outbound travel market could surge from around $35 billion to more than $60 billion by 2030-2034, driven by a young generation of high-spending travellers and intensifying competition among global destinations.
Kabul could become the first modern city in the world to run out of water by 2029, the UK head of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned following a week-long visit to Afghanistan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment